US2120051A - Rear axle block for automobile lifts - Google Patents

Description

June 7, 1938. R TULLY 2,120,051

REAR AXLE BLOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE LIFTS Filed July 12, 1937 INVENTOR my ruLL- MMM ATTORNEYi Patented June 7, '1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE Richard G. Tully, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to Walker Manufacturing Company, Racine, Wla,

a corporation Application July 12, 1937, Serial No. 153,083

'9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in rear axle blocks for lifts, with particular reference to lifts of the general character known as automobile lifts.

In automobile or vehicle lifts of various types of construction it is customary to provide a pair of rails which are spaced somewhat more narrowly than the tread of the wheels of the vehicle,

' to provide means for lifting those rails into contact with the axles of the vehicle, and in the further elevation of the rails to lift thentire vehicle to a proper'height so that workmen may stand beneath and reach up to the working parts which may require attention. If, however, the rear axle of the vehicle is rested directly upon the supporting frame the rails are so closely associated with the working parts of the vehicle that work may be impeded. Furthermore, in the construction of many of the modern motor cars there are depending portions of the vehicle structure such as fuel tanks, spare tires, batteries, muiilers, etc., which may be damaged by coming in contact with the rails. x i

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide automatically retractable or collapsible rear axle "blocks -to support the axle above the longitudinal frame members of a vehicle lift.

Another object of my invention is to provide for means which will enable the user of my rear axle blocks to manipulate and adjust my rear axle blocks from a safe place of vantage so that he may not be required-to place 'himself-in a dangerous position whileadjusting or setting u the blocks.

Another object of my invention is to provide for means incorporated in my rear axle blocks for automatically displacing them to a retracted or collapsed position when a vehicle is to be "rolled off the lift, thereby safeguarding the under parts of the vehicle.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective of my rear axle blocks installed upon a portion of an automobile lift.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a modified form of block in a view similar to that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 and showing the rear axle of a vehicle automatically forcing my rear axle blocks to retracted position.

Like parts are designated by the'same reference characters throughout the several views.

I have shown my rear axle blocks installed upon the elevatable portion In of an automobile lift which includes a cross frame member I l and two longitudinal frame members or rails l2 and l3, the portion of the lift illustrated in the drawing being that portion which underlies and supports the rear end of an automotive vehicle.

My rear axle jacks may be said to be primarily a pair of upright plates I 4 audli bracketed together bymeans of a strut l6 which is rigidly secured to the jacks I t and [5 by welding or other suitable attachment. My jacksor plates I4-l5 with the strut l6 therefore comprise a unitary construction which is pivotally attached to two saddles I1 and i 8, respectively, which are shaped as indicated most clearly in Figure 1 to engage the tops of the respective rails l2-l3 and are provided with U-shaped inner stirrups l9 shaped toreceive the plates "-45 and to .provide a support-for either end of a pivot pin 20 which extends through the lower rear comer of each their top portions at 2| to receive any standard I shape of axle 22, and each of said plates is deeply slotted at 23 to receive any trusses or cross rods that may extend below an axle in some makes of vehicles. The lower rear comer 'of each of the platesis rounded at 24 to permit of the retraction of my blocks pivotally as indicated in Figure-4 or as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. A flat portion or platform 8, rearwardly of the notch at the top of each block, is defined rearwardly by a stop 9 comprising an upward extension of the block so that an axle may be received upon the fiat platform 8 and against the stop 9 and still be positioned forwardly of a vertical line drawn through 'the pivot pin 20.

The two saddles l1 and I8, although spaced and held together by the unitary construction of the plates l4l5 and strut l6 are further braced and spaced by means of a yoke-shaped handle 25 which is so shaped and which is suiliciently long so that the grip 26 thereof may extend to a safe position behind any vehicle which may be lifted by the lifting frame l0.

Along one side of the yoke 25'1 provide an operating rod 21 retained and loosely guided by an apertured lug 28 secured to the yoke. The forward end of the operating rod 2| is pivotally secured to plate It by means of an eye and shoulder screw 29, and the handle 30 of the rod 21 is'disposed within easy reach of a workman who has positioned my rear axle blocks bymeans of the yoke 25 held manually at the grip 26. Thus, if the yoke 25 and its attached parts including the rear axle blocks l4 and I5 is slidably positioned under the rear end of the vehicle at a time when the rear axle blocks are in horizontal position, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, the blocks may be pivotally moved to the posi-' tion shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2 by a thrust upon the handle 30.

The unitary assembly, includingthe yoke, the saddles, and the stirrups, may be referred to as a mounting, which is adjustable along the rails or other mechanism included in the lift", which mounting is provided with my rear axle blocks.

Many ordinary vehicles as constructed today have heavy overhanging parts at the rear end thereof so that difllculty may be encountered in positioning two plates I l and I5 directly under an axle 22. I therefore provide a guide and retractor pin 35 set into a hole 36. in the top margin of plate I! and the pin 35 may be adjusted to the height desired and retained in adjusted position by means of a set screw 31. Thus, when the blocks are thrust forwardly by means of the yoke 25, the guide pin 35 will contact the axle whereby to indicate to the operator when the blocks are accurately positioned. Furthermore, when the lifting frame III has been lowered to the floor and the axle 22 is no longer being supported by the plates ll-IS, no 'further attention is required for the retraction of the plates to their horizontal position since the pin 35, when thrust rearwardly by the axle 22, will force the blocks to their retracted position where they cannot contact the under parts of a vehicle and damage muiflers and batteries as the car is backed off.

It will be noted that when the full weight of a vehicle axle is upon my axle blocks the pin 20 is offset rearwardly a considerable distance from the center of vertical thrust, and that a tremendous rearward force would be and is required to pivotally move the blocks ll-IS while the vehicle is being supported thereby. However, when the lift III has been lowered to its lowermost position and the weight of a vehicle is supported by its own wheels, my blocks are free to move pivotally to their retracted position, either by reason of a pulling operation upon the handle "or by reason of the thrust upon the safety guide 35.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle lift including a mounting to be initially raised into position to elevate the axle of a vehicle, a lifting block pivotally associated stirrup adjacent one margin thereof for adjust-- ment to and from a load receiving position, said block in load receiving position being supported wholly by said pivoted mounting and said stirrup.

3. In a vehicle lift provided with spaced rails to be elevated beneath the axles of the vehicle,

blocks pivotally associated with said rails whereby to move from an upright axle receiving position to a retracted position, said blocks being provided with means to engage the axle whereby in the movement of the vehicle over said rails to move the blocks to retracted position.

4. In a vehicle lift provided with spaced rails to be elevated beneath the axles of the vehicle, blocks pivotally associated with said rails wherein the movement of the vehicle over said rails to move the blocks to retracted position, said blocks being joined unitarily, and one of said blocks being provided with a handle whereby manually to move the blocks to axle engaging position.

5. A vehicle lift provided with elevatable means to be raised beneath the axle of the vehicle, and over which a vehicle may be moved to and from a position for elevation, a block associated with said means for movement to and from an axle engaging position and to and from a retracted position, said block being provided with means for engagement with a portion of the -vehicle whereby in the movement of the vehicle from the lift to force the block to retracted position.

6. In a vehicle lift designed to be associated with a vehicle runway over which a vehicle may be conducted on its own wheels, said lift being provided with spaced rails longitudinally ex-' tended with respect to the vehicle and adapted Q5 to be lifted beneath the axles of the vehicle, saddles slidably associated withsaid rails and shaped to receive axle blocks'adjustable from an upright axle engaging position to a recumbent position beside said rails, one of said blocks bein their lowered position and the blocks are not in contact ,with the axle whereby in the movement of the vehicle longitudinally of said rails to move said block to its retracted or recumbent position. Y

7. In a vehicle lift designed to be associated with a vehicle runway over which a vehicle may be conducted on its own wheels, said lift being provided with spaced rails longitudinally extended'with respect to the vehicle and adapted to be lifted beneath the axles of the vehicle, saddles slidably associated with said rails and shaped to receive axle blocks adjustable from an upright axle engaging position to a recumbent position beside said rails, one of said blocks being provided with a guide pin for engagement with a portion of the vehicle when the rails are in their lowered position and the blocks are not in contact with the axle whereby in the movement of the vehicle longitudinally of said rails to move said block to its retracted or recumbent position, said blocks comprising a unitary structure and provided with a hand lever for moving the blocks to and from axle engaging position.

8. In a vehicle lift designed to be associated with a vehicle runway over which a vehicle may be conducted on its own wheels, said lift being provided with spaced rails longitudinally extended with respect to the vehicle and adapted to be lifted beneath the axles of the vehicle, saddles .slidably associated with said rails and shaped to receive axle blocks adjustable from an upright axle engagingv position to a recumbent position beside said rails oneof said blocks being provided with a guide pin for engagement with a portion of the vehicle when the rails are in their I having a surface shaped to receive the axle when in lifting position and said surface being substantially below the axle before the mounting has been raised, said block being provided with means positioned to be abutted by the axle whereby in the movement of the vehicle 01! of 5 said lift to move the block to retracted position.

RICHARD G. TULLY.

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